Sustainable manufacturing of composite materials

复合材料的可持续制造

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-05788
• 负责人: Hubert, Pascal
• 金额: $ 4.01万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=710049
• 关键词: Sustainable; manufacturing; composite; materials

Since their introduction in the 1960's, advanced carbon fibre composites have been used to develop application-specific structures featuring as much as a 30% reduction in weight compared to their metallic predecessors. The potential benefit to the aerospace industry is clear, as a reduction of 20% of an aircraft mass yields significant fuel cost savings and reduces CO2 emissions on a scale equivalent to removing a thousand cars from circulation. Composites have also changed how aircrafts are built. Large structural elements are assembled layer by layer with automated fibre placement machines and then cured in large pressurized autoclaves. Final nondestructive inspection of the parts ensure that they are free of defects and ready for the next step of the assembly process. While many progresses have been made in the last twenty years, the manufacturing process of composite structures is far from perfect. Today, about 66% of the raw material is wasted during the material deposition phase from prepreg cutting or prepreg rolls that have exceeded their shelf life. More cured composite waste is generated during the final trimming of the part. Furthermore, if excessive manufacturing defects are detected in the final component, rejection of the part can significantly increase the overall manufacturing scrap rate. Composite manufacturing waste and products at the end of their useful life are mostly landfilled, which is detrimental for the environment. The objective of this work is to develop new processes, material systems and design tools in order to reduce manufacturing costs and improve the environmental impact of composite materials manufacturing. We propose the use of process modelling tools to reduce risks during the design phase and the amount of trial-and-error that often generates very high volumes of scraps. We will develop an automated material inspection method in order to reduce material process variability that can cause defects in the final part. We will implement new heated tooling concepts in which the heat from the tool is transferred directly to the part to realize additional energy savings. Finally, we will transform prepreg wastes from ply-cutter offcuts or expired rolls into a value added product. The results of this work will provide Canadian SMEs with cost-effective modifications to their production lines in order to cope with new environmental regulations and to augment their market share.

自 20 世纪 60 年代推出以来，先进的碳纤维复合材料已被用于开发特定应用的结构，与金属前身相比，其重量减轻了 30%。对航空航天业的潜在好处是显而易见的，因为飞机质量减少 20% 可以显着节省燃料成本，并减少二氧化碳排放量，其规模相当于减少 1000 辆汽车的排放量。复合材料也改变了飞机的制造方式。大型结构元件使用自动纤维铺放机逐层组装，然后在大型加压高压釜中固化。对零件进行最终的无损检测，确保它们没有缺陷，并为下一步的装配过程做好准备。尽管过去二十年来取得了许多进步，但复合材料结构的制造工艺还远未达到完美。如今，大约 66% 的原材料在材料沉积阶段因预浸料切割或超过保质期的预浸料卷而被浪费。在零件的最终修整过程中会产生更多的固化复合材料废料。此外，如果在最终部件中检测到过多的制造缺陷，则该部件的报废可能会显着增加整体制造报废率。复合材料制造废物和产品在使用寿命结束后大多被填埋，这对环境有害。这项工作的目标是开发新工艺、材料系统和设计工具，以降低制造成本并改善复合材料制造对环境的影响。我们建议使用流程建模工具来减少设计阶段的风险以及经常产生大量废料的试错量。我们将开发一种自动化材料检测方法，以减少可能导致最终零件缺陷的材料工艺变异性。我们将实施新的加热工具概念，将工具的热量直接传递到零件，以实现额外的节能。最后，我们将把层切边角料或过期卷材产生的预浸料废料转化为增值产品。 这项工作的结果将为加拿大中小企业提供具有成本效益的生产线改造，以应对新的环境法规并扩大其市场份额。